I have had multiple people ask me about using AI in marketing. They had this perception that I would show them how it works so they could replace my services with this marketing Golden Ticket that has a psychological or hypnotical effect to magically convert the internet to an ATM.

I would be happy to show them what it is and how it works, but I think they would be very disappointed with the results.

It's Everywhere

I am sure that we all encounter AI-generated content every day. It's everywhere, and why not? It's cheaper and faster than waiting for a human to research topics, write and rewrite, and produce a finished product.

All you have to do is go to ChatGPT and say, “Write me a paragraph about why AI content is better for business than human-generated content.”

I just did that for you and here is what you get:

“AI-generated content offers several advantages for businesses over human-generated content. Firstly, AI can produce content at a much faster pace, allowing companies to maintain a consistent online presence and respond swiftly to market trends and customer inquiries. Additionally, AI can analyze vast amounts of data to tailor content to specific target audiences, increasing engagement and conversion rates. AI also eliminates the risk of human error, ensuring accuracy and consistency in messaging. Moreover, AI content can be generated 24/7, reducing labor costs and freeing up human resources for more strategic tasks. Ultimately, AI content provides businesses with the efficiency, precision, and scalability needed to thrive in today's fast-paced digital landscape.”

Now let's try the opposite, “Write me a paragraph about why human-generated content is better for business than AI content.”

“Human-generated content holds a distinct advantage for businesses in many aspects. While AI can produce content quickly, it often lacks the emotional depth and creativity that humans bring to their work. Human-generated content is imbued with authenticity and genuine connections, fostering trust and building meaningful relationships with customers. It has the ability to adapt to complex and unique situations, offering nuanced responses and creative solutions that AI may struggle with. Human content creators can infuse their brand's personality, culture, and values into their work, making it more relatable and resonant with the audience. Moreover, human-generated content respects the importance of ethical considerations, empathy, and cultural sensitivities in ways that AI may overlook. In essence, human-generated content enriches the human touch in business communication, fostering a more profound and lasting impact on customers and stakeholders.”

I have to say, I agree with Chat GPT. AI is better for speed and Human is better for authenticity.

It's People… AI is People

You may remember the closing scene from the 1960s movie “Soylent Green” where Charlton Heston is being led away on a stretcher screaming “It's People… Soylent Green is PEOPLE!!!”

AI is people. AI is powered by machine learning. It scrapes the internet or other data, learns from what it finds, and then synthesizes that content with rules fed to it about human communication styles and grammatical accuracy.

What comes out all depends on what you feed it. Most of the content AI consumes is written by humans. Also, its output is based on what and how you prompt it.

For example, let's redo the first query as if it was written by a pirate:

“Arrr, me hearties, let me tell ye why AI content be a treasure trove for businesses! Avast, it be quicker than a plunderin' pirate with a map to buried gold, churnin' out content faster than ye can say “shiver me timbers.” It be a savvy navigator of data, steerin' yer message straight to the heart of yer target audience, boostin' yer doubloons and makin' the crew cheer with joy. And there be no risk of human error sinkin' yer ship; AI be as precise as a well-aimed cannon shot. Plus, it works 'round the clock without needin' grog or a wink of sleep, savin' ye coin on wages. So, hoist the Jolly Roger and embrace AI, mateys—it be the wind in yer sails for navigatin' the digital seas!”

Now, let's do the second query as if it was written by a 5th grader:

“Using content made by real people is super great for businesses! Humans can make stuff that's full of heart and feelings, which makes customers really like them. When people create things, they can make them special and unique, like a hand-drawn picture or a handwritten note. It's like when your best friend gives you a homemade card – it feels more personal and special. Plus, people can understand tricky things better and make jokes that AI just doesn't get. So, human-made content helps businesses connect with folks in a more friendly and fun way, which is totally awesome!”

As you can see, it's simpler and shorter than the original.

“You maniacs! You blew it up! Damn you! Damn you all to Hell”

You may remember that quote from the end of another 1960s movie, “The Planet of the Apes”. That is when Charlton Heston rides up on horseback, only to see the Statue of Liberty blown up on a beach.

The point was he time-traveled into the future when men destroyed the earth and Apes evolved and took over.

Then came another 1980s movie, “The Terminator”. This one stared The Arnold as an AI-driven robot sent back in time to kill the future leader of the resistance as a teenager.

Going back and forth in time is not an option for us right now, so all we have is the present.

AI goes back in time to grab knowledge produced by humans to try to predict what is relevant today.

To prove my point, I asked ChatGPT, “What will be the five most important marketing concepts in January 2024?”

It said:

“I don't have access to information beyond my last knowledge update in September 2021, so I can't provide specific marketing concepts that will be important in January 2024.”

So if your clients are concerned with the rising prices, staffing issues, and AI taking over their jobs today, ChatGPT is writing in the context of remote work, pandemic, and supply chain disruption perspectives.

It's People… Your Readers are PEOPLE!

I encourage you to zig while your competition zags.

While everyone is trying to figure out the right way to prompt a computer to write the perfect copy, in the right voice with the right hot buttons, you can do better with human disruption.

Disrupt your current customers and ask them, “What will be the five most important business issues (TO YOU) in January 2024?”

You can use an AI-driven Zoom recorder to transcribe their answers, enter their comments into an AI writing tool, and ask it to optimize the logic and grammar to create a template.

If you do that at least five times, you will have a better sense of what is concerning your clients in the future.

Then hire a professional human writer to research and write that copy and get it in front of your current, past, and prospective customers.

While your competition is trying to figure out which AI tool gives them the best return on investment to replace humans with computers, you will be using humans to build better relationships with other humans!

Final Thought

This brings us back to another perspective on marketing success: Better /Cheaper /Faster – Pick Two!

“I often tell my students not to be misled by the name ‘artificial intelligence' – there is nothing artificial about it. AI is made by humans, intended to behave by humans, and, ultimately, to impact humans' lives and human society.”
– Fei-Fei Li